Red's show of unity before the Big Day

[flashdrive]

Jatuporn: Chalerm should keep quiet

 

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leader Jatuporn Prompan says opposition Puea Thai senior MP Chalerm Yubamrung should be more careful about what he says. Mr Jatuporn, who is also a Puea Thai MP, said Mr Chalerm should not have said he doubted that the red-shirt anti-government rally on March 14 would attract one million supporters, as the organisers predict.

 

"Mr Chalerm is a senior member and many people respect him. He should not speak for Democrat Party spokesman Thepthai Senpong," Mr Jatuporn said.

 

Mr Charlerm should wait and see how many people join in the protest on March 14.

 

He was also indifferent to Mr Chalerm's threat to boycott the censure debate if a non-party member is nominated as the alternative prime minister. Mr Jatuporn said there were many other Puea Thai MPs who would take part in the debate.

 

"I would like Mr Chalerm to keep the goodwill [of the red-shirts and Puea Thai members]," he said.

 

He said the censure debate should be held after the major UDD protest on March 14 because Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would not dissolve the House at this time.

 

"I'll ask Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, who is a Puea Thai MP for Nonthaburi, to postpone the no-confidence motion.

 

"There would be no change in the government if the no-confidence debate is held now since the coalition partners are still siding with the Democrat Party and everybody knows this," Mr Jatuporn said.

 

He said ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would phone-in to address his supporters every day during the week-long mass demonstration starting on March 14.

 

The red-shirts will gather and protest in different areas, he added.

 

 

Bangkokpost.com

[Thaihot]

I just hope it does not fuck up peoples holidays or monger trips.

Also I hope they do not go to war & kill the tourism as the nation or kingdom of thailand needs this more than they know IMO.

[fostraswift]

just announced...

 

Thailand top court seizes part of Thaksin fortune

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8538013.stm

 

Thailand's Supreme Court has ruled that former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's family should be stripped of more than half a contested $2.3bn fortune.

 

The court said $1.4bn (£910m) of the assets were gained illegally through conflict of interest when Mr Thaksin was prime minister.

 

The funds were frozen after Mr Thaksin's elected government was overthrown in a military coup in 2006.

 

Mr Thaksin, who is living abroad, has denied any wrongdoing.

 

he court took several hours to deliver its verdict, with security forces on high alert amid government predictions of violence by Mr Thaksin's red-shirted supporters if the court decision went against him.

 

The judges said that Mr Thaksin shaped government mobile phone and satellite communications policy to benefit his firms.

 

He abused his power to benefit telecoms company Shin Corp, which he owned then, earning wealth from shares sales in the company through "inappropriate means", they ruled.

 

They dismissed defence arguments that the anti-corruption commission that instigated the proceedings against Mr Thaksin was illegitimate.

 

Mr Thaksin addressed his supporters from Dubai after the verdict.

 

He had previously told them he would continue his political fight against the "military-bureaucratic elite" that deposed him - with or without his family fortune.

 

He has said the money he and his family earned was acquired legally.

 

Tensions in Thailand remain high. Tens of thousands of extra police have been placed in and around the capital, and in areas of the north-east of the country where some of Mr Thaksin's supporters are based.

There were only small numbers of Thaksin supporters outside the court. The pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), which leads the red shirts, has said it has no plans for any demonstration until mid-March.

 

Local media had predicted huge disruption, counting down to what they called "judgement day".

 

The judges looked at whether Mr Thaksin illegally deposited his fortune with family members because he was not allowed to hold company shares while prime minister, and whether his administration implemented policies to benefit his family's businesses.

 

They have also considered whether telecoms liberalisation measures unfairly benefited the country's main mobile phone service provider, then controlled by Mr Thaksin's family.

 

And they have investigated whether he unfairly promoted a $127m low-interest loan to neighbouring Burma to benefit a satellite communications company also controlled by his family.

Edited February 26, 2010 by fostraswift

[Juspa Sinthru]

Good info.

 

Apparently, leaving BKK will be ok, it's getting into the City that's a problem for this weekend